Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

2-16-13 1hr 30 min
DB deadlifts 166# x5x5x5x5 > 171#
DB rows 146# x5x5x5x5 > 151#
DB shoulder press 141# x5x5x5x5 > 146#
Weighted Pullups +45# x5x5x5x5 > 47.5#
DB shoulder side raises 2x 63# x10x10x10 > 2x 65.5#
DB shrugs 181# x10x10x10 > 186#
Pullups +10# x12x12x12

I struggled so hard with shoulder presses last week that I clenched my jaw so hard it hurt, this week, no troubles at all. I have a splendid idea for a new routine; I am SUPER excited to implement it.

Resting tomorrow. Starting my new routine Monday.

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Live cautiously to make it safely to death

Only slept about 8 1/2 hrs last night because I was excited to get up and make french toast and work on my new routine.

I'm combining all of my experimentation over the past few months into a routine I call the schmorgesborg. It'a going to include a bit of low rep, medium rep, high rep, and everything in between; some pyramiding, a bit of an upper/lower split, and a bit of a body building split; mostly focusing on compounds, like usual.

It's going to be...amazing.

_________________
Live cautiously to make it safely to death

2-18-13 1hr 50 min
DB chest press 151x9x8x5x3 > Hold
Weighted dips +42.5x12x12x12
Weighted chinups +52.5x10x10x10
Weighted decline pushups +55x15x10x15 > Drop to 45 and Hold 1Wk
Tricep kickbacks 23x20 / 43x15 / 50.5x10 > 25.5/45.5/53
Bicep curls 23x20 / 33x15 / 43x10 >
Unladen hammer chinups x15x15x15

Well I started my new routine today; or more correctly I started my newly modified routine. I don't keep changing my routines in case you have not followed me consistently, I am just constantly modifying it and trying to build a better machine. The pyramiding is really fricken nice, I love it. I've also increased my working rep range of my light circuit. The problem is with these extra reps and all the exercises it's fucking destroying me. So I am going to do a bit more tweaking and I should be good for another run. My chest press was a cluster fuck cause I made the mistake of increasing weight and reps, my body just freaked out and said screw that. I should be able to capture 151 in a few weeks once my body gets better at this new rep range. Here is my new routine:

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Heavy
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Day A: Chest/Biceps/Triceps
4x5 DB Chest Press
2x12 Weighted Decline Pushups
2x8 Weighted Dips
2x5 Weighted Chinup or Hammer Chinup/ Drop 2x12
15/12/8 Triceps Isolation
15/12/8 Biceps Isolation

Day B: Legs/Core
4x10 (5 Ea) Lunges
3x12 Squats
3x12 Hamstrings
3x20 Calves
20/15 Ab Rollers
20/15 Hanging Abs
3x12 Obliques

Day C: Back/Shoulders
4x5 DB Deadlifts
3x10 DB Rows
4x5 DB Shoulder Press
2x5 Weighted Pullups/ Drop 2x12
15/12/8 DB Shoulder Side Raises
3x12 DB Shrugs
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Light
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Day A: Chest/Biceps/Triceps
3x10 DB Chest Press
2x15 Weighted Pushups
2x12 Weighted Dips
2x10 Weighted Chinup or Hammer Chinup/ Drop 2x15
20/15/10 Triceps Isolation
20/15/10 Biceps Isolation

Day B: Legs/Core
3x20 (10 Ea) Lunges
3x15 Squats
3x15 Hamstrings
3x25 Calves
2x15 Ab Rollers
2x20 Hanging Abs
3x15 Obliques

Day C: Back/Shoulders
3x10 DB Deadlifts
3x12 DB Rows
3x10 DB Shoulder Press
2x10 Weighted Pullups/ Drop 2x15
20/15/12 DB Shoulder Side Raises
3x15 DB Shrugs

_________________
Live cautiously to make it safely to death

Hope the French toast was good, certainly sounds it lol.

Good luck with that new routine there.

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1st Place Raw Champs 2011, 2012 (3 raw records)
Training for my first 100 mile running race

WEB: http://jimsty.wix.com/strength-vs-size
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VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/user/kiwilifter?feature=mhee

French toast is freaking boss. Every Sunday I make pancakes, tofu scramble, or french toast.

2-19-13 1hr 34min
Lunges 146# x20x20x20 > 151#
1 Leg Squats 75# x15x12x12 > Hold (Now a 3x12)
Hamstrings 103# x20x20x20 > X
Calf Raises 126# x20x20x20 > 131#
Ab Rollers +15# x15x15 > Hold (Now a 2x20)
Hanging Abs +15# x15x15 > +20#
Obliques 45.5# x15x15x15 > 50.5#

Routine is still kind of under construction while I tweak things that are kind of jacked. It'll work out; just gonna be another week or two.

_________________
Live cautiously to make it safely to death

I took today off and am going to lift tomorrow. But I need to sort something out because I think I am over trained. I shoveled snow for 2hrs plus I have some aches and pains that are concerning me.

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Live cautiously to make it safely to death

I'm starting a new format to my routine tomorrow, and I tweaked some things. I've not been allowing myself enough rest and I'm feeling the weight of over training. I need to rest today and tomorrow I'm going to pick up where I left off. I modified the format to allow 2 solid scheduled rest days a week instead of going on on on off, on on on off I am following a Mon,Tue,Wed,Thurs,Fri,Sat,Sun schedule.

Here's what I got so far. The pyramiding will help me knock the reps down on light days, and I am sticking with x5 on heavy days. I've also knocked some sets and complete exercises off to shave CNS stress. I've also gone and calculated my theoretical rep weights out for pyramiding days so I am all prepped to jump back in.

Seems like a waste of 2 days, but I was sore mentally and physically and I NEEDED it.

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Heavy
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Day A: Chest/Biceps/Triceps
4x5 DB Chest Press 166#
2x8 Weighted Dips 60# Or Decline Pushups +65#
4x5 Weighted Chinups +57.5
20/15/10 Tricep Kickbacks 25.5#/45.5#/53#
20/15/10 Bicep Curls 25.5#/35.5#/45.5#
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Day B: Legs/Core
4x5 Squats 1L 106#
3x16(8Ea) Lunges 156#
3x20 Hamstrings 103#
3x20 Calf Raises 131#
2x15 Hanging Ab Raises 20# / x20 Ab Rollers 20# / 3x12 Oblique Crunches 50.5#
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Day C: Back/Shoulders
4x5 DB Deadlifts 171#
4x5 DB Rows 151#
4x5 DB Shoulder Press 146#
4x5 Weighted Pullups +47.5#
20/15/10 DB Shoulder Side Raises 30.5#/43#/65.5#
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Light
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Day A: Chest/Biceps/Triceps
12/10/8 DB Chest Press 136#/141#/146#
2x12 Weighted Dips +45# or Decline Pushups +55#
12/10/8 Weighted Chinups +47.5#/52.5#/+55#
20/15/10 Tricep Isolation 25.5#/45.5#/53#
20/15/10 Bicep Isolation 25.5#/35.5#/45.5#
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Day B: Legs/Core
3x12 Squats 2L
3x20(10 Ea) Lunges 151#
3x20 Hamstrings 103#
3x20 Calf Raises 136#
2x15 Hanging Ab Raises 20# / x20 Ab Rollers 20# / 3x12 Oblique Crunches 50.5#
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Day C: Back/Shoulders
12/10/8 DB Deadlifts 146#/151#/156#
12/10/8 DB Rows 126#/131#/136#
12/10/8 DB Shoulder Press 131#/136#/141#
12/10/8 Weighted Pullups 30#/35#/42.5#
20/15/10 DB Shoulder Side Raises 30.5#/43#/63#
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Mon: Chest/Biceps/Triceps Light
Tues: Legs/Core Light Or Heavy
Wed: Back/Shoulders Light
Thurs: Rest
Fri: Chest/Biceps/Triceps Heavy
Sat: Back/Shoulders/Heavy
Sun: Rest

_________________
Live cautiously to make it safely to death

Back in the game! I lifted today after modifying my chest day and a few tweaks the other days/lifts/set/rep schemes. The problem is, I think, I was hitting my chest with way too much volume. I was doing 3 exercises for my chest. Where as I am doing 3 exercises for my back, pullups, deadlifts, and rows, those exercises target vastly different parts of my back and the load is spread out over a bigger surface area, in my mind, requiring less demand on my CNS. As for my chest, everything is bundled together in close and I was trashing myself with so many exercises and volume; So I shaved an exercise off my chest day, and cut out my drop set of weighted chins, cutting 15 min and a bunch of demand off my chest workout. It feels right! I was going to move away from x8 on my light day to get a higher rep range and different muscle growth and was aiming for a 3x10 or 30 rep scheme, but went with a pyramiding scheme (12/10/8) that meets the same rep/set number for that extra little bit of muscle recruitment variety. I am only doing 12+ on sticky muscles that don't grow easily like calves, biceps, and triceps, and things like hams that I have trouble training because of my lack of equipment. If I do not like the pyramiding, I will go with a solid 3x10, no sweat. As well, I am on a weekly schedule instead of an on/off schedule; dedicating myself 2 rest days per week now.

2-15-13 1hr 15min
DB chest press x5x5x5x5 166# > 171#
Weighted chinups + 57.5# x5x5x5x5 > +60#
Weighted decline pusups + 65# x8x8x8 > +67.5#
Tricep kickbacks 25.5# x20 45.5# x15 53# x10 > 28#/48#/55.5#
Bicep curls 25.5# x20 35.5# x15 45.5# x10 > Hold
Hammer chinups and dips to failure x1

_________________
Live cautiously to make it safely to death

2-23-12 1hr 10 min
DB deadlifts 171# x5x5x5x5 > 176#
DB rows 151# x5x5x5x5 > 156#
DB shoulder press 146# x5xFail 141#xFail 136#x5xFail > 146#
Weighted pullups +47.5# x5x5x5x5 > +50#
DB shoulder side raises 30.5#x20 43#x15 63#x10 > 33#/45.5#/65.5#
Pullups to failure

_________________
Live cautiously to make it safely to death

Rest day today. Made chocolate pancakes and tofu scramble with soy chorizo, peppers, onion, garlic, tomato, and avocado for Sunday breakfast with mom.

Had trouble getting the DBs into position for my shoulders cause my triceps were so trashed. Kinda reconsidering my weekly schedule.

_________________
Live cautiously to make it safely to death

2-25-13 1hr 15min
DB Chest press 136#x12 /141#10 / 146#x8 > 141# / 146# / 151#
Weighted dips +45# 12x12x12 > +47.5#
Weighted hammer chinups +47.5#x12 / 52.5#x10 / 55#x8
Triceps kickbacks 28#x20 / 48#x15 / 58#x10 > 30.5# / 50.5# / 60.5#
Bicep curls 25.5#x20 / 35.5#x15 / 45.5#x10 > 28# / 38# / 48#
Close grip chinups(x25) and decline pushups(x45) to failure.

It feels real nice. I'm settling into this routine nicely. Shaving just 15 min off each day has helped tremendously. Pyramiding is very sparing for my last set. I love it.

_________________
Live cautiously to make it safely to death

2-26-13 1HR 23min
2L Squats 101# x12x12x12 > 106# (Moving to a 12/10/8)
Lunges 101# x20x20x20 ( Hold weight, to 3x24(12Ea Leg)
Hamstrings 100# x20x20x20 > 108#
2L Calf raises 141# x20x20x20 > 146#
Ab rollers +20# x15x15 Hanging abs +20# x15x15 > Holding
Obliques 53# x12x12x12 > 63#

Made a few tweaks to legs day. Feeling good as I get my diet under wraps.

_________________
Live cautiously to make it safely to death

2-27-131hr 15 min
DB Deadlifts 126x12 / 141x10 / 156x8 > 131/146/161
DB Shoulder press 106x12 / 121x10 / 136x8 > 111/126/141
DB Rows 111x12 / 126x10 / 141x8 > 116/131/146
Weighted pullups 30x12 / 35x10 / 42.5x8 > 32.5/37.5/45
DB shoulder side raises 30.5x20 / 43x15 / 63x10 > 33/45.5/Hold
DB shrugs 156x12 166x12x12 > 171
Pullups to failure

Really fricken loving this pyramiding. All the benefits of high rep without frying my CNS. Best of both worlds. I am just adjusting to the high rep rangers. Rest tomororw. Woo.

_________________
Live cautiously to make it safely to death

Rest today. Mm. Rest.

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Live cautiously to make it safely to death

3-1-13 1hr 30 min
DB chest press 171 x5x5x5x5 > 176
Weighted decline pushups +67.5 x8x8x8 > +70
Weighted chinups +60 x5x5x5x5 > +62.5
Tricep kickbacks 30.5x20 / 50.5x15 / 60.5x10 > 33/H/H
Bicep curls 28x20 / 38x15 / 48x10 > Hold
Hammer chinups and dips to failure

Lost the DB on my chest press and it rolled off my thumb, hyper extending it, it's sore but not severely injured. I've iced and wrapped it. I will begin my rest week early, most likely. Very proud of my chest press, however. I did it with ease!

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Live cautiously to make it safely to death